TikTok users are looking for quick ways to get the perfect smile but at what cost?
Brace yourself, it’s a TikTok trend that has dentists around the country horrified, DIY tooth filing.
“The moment when they say I seen it on TikTok I'm like oh my goodness" said Dr. Christina Monford-McNish with Tropea Dental Care.
Just the sound makes you cringe, but many are taking a short cut to get the perfect smile.
For many teenagers and young adults TikTok is like their Google and when it comes to fixing a problem the answer is just a scroll away.
Many are tired of waiting for a better smile and are taking the cheap and easy way to perform their own cosmetic dentistry procedure using a nail file to straighten their teeth.
But little do they know instead of walking away with beautiful, straight teeth, they are stripping their mouth of the very things it needs to be healthy, enamel.
"Just because it looks easy don't think you can do it, there is schooling that goes into this," Monford-McNish said. "You should see a professional."
She added: "If you use a nail file you can cause long term damage to your teeth."
You are hitting an area with dentin and that’s when exposure occurs causing extreme sensitivity.
So stick to the basics when it comes to your teeth: brush them, floss them, swish some mouthwash. But keep the nail files out of your mouth.
The truth of the matter is that the best way to get the perfect smile is to see a dentist. That way you’re getting the proper care for your pearly whites.